ECEL 219 blog #5

The Other Side, by Jacqueline Woodson and illustrated by E.B. Lewis, is a multicultural story that is just heart warming. This story is about two girls from the south. The story takes place when black and whites were separate were split by a fence. Their mothers told them to not go onto the other side of the fence because it was dangerous. The African American girl, Clover, watched the white girl, Annie, day after day playing outside by herself. When Annie asked if she could play with a group of girls one day, a friend answered no. Finally annie and clover meet and talk and become friends. The book finishes with “One day this fence will be taken down.” It is a touching story of a bond between two girls despite the feelings and beliefs of their surroundings.

Blog #4

The book I am recommending to all of you is Strega Nona, by Tomie dePaola. Strega Nona is the town healer, if you will. She can heal warts, make people fall in love, and create anything for anyone. She hires a man, Big Anthony, to help out with the cleaning and yard work and in turn gives him meals and a place to sleep. She tells him he can do and touch anything he wants but not her cooking pot. He sees her one day making dinner, and all she does is sing a song and pasta comes out of the pot. She sings a different song to make it stop, but the part that Anthony does not see is the three kisses she blows to make the pot empty. He brings the pot to the towns people and feeds everyone, but when he sings the song to make the pot stop, it keeps going because he does not blow three kisses. The Whole town fills with pasta! This creative, well written and well illustrated is sure to engage children.

Harold and the Purple Crayon

Harold and the Purple Crayon is a book filled with the potential of a child's imagination. Written and illustrated by Crockett Johnson, copyright date 1955, this old story comes alive with every new pair of eyes that read it. In this story, Harold, with none other then the clothes on his back and a purple crayon, uses his imagination to create his own world with his purple drawings. The illustrations, although simple and VERY purple, are fun to look at, and I think would intrigue children to want to use their imaginations too. I recommend this fantastic book!

ECEL 219, Blog #2

"Hawk, I'm your brother," written by Byrd Baylor, and Illustrated by Peter Parnall, is a caldecott honor book. In this story, a little natavie american boy, Rudy Soto, wants nothing more then to learn to fly. He asks everyone he knows if they know how or if they can teach them. Eventually he grows tired of being laughed at and stops asking. This is when he decides to capture a hawk out of his favorite nest on the side of his favorite mountain. He ties hawk to a string and keeps him in a cage when he cannot be with him. This story goes on with a somewhat surprise ending. Does little Rudy Soto learn how to fly from his hawk? This story would be a great exploration story for forshadowing and prediction for children. And, on top of that, it is Multi Cultural! Enjoy!

Recommendations for Children's Lit:

One book that, after reading, I highly recommend everyone read is "Henry's Freedom Box." This book, by Ellen Levine, illistrations by Kadir Nelson, is full of amazing drawings that really enhance the story. It is not only multicultural, but has a strong historical theme too. Henry is a slave who is separated from his family when his owner sells him. He is again separated from his family years later when his wife and children are sold to a different plantation far away. He is crushed, and this story really helps show the need he feels for family. This story of the underground rail road gives a history and understanding of some of what slaves went through. I would recommend this book to teachers and parents alike.